The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-07-13
(From the News and Cou-ier.)

1EGE OF MISSISSIPPI, July 4.-RefeErine
TO number OF notes taken III q mid
summer tour of four OF the most port
ant Southern States, 90 not know that
I could select more interesting spoJec.
.tAan the Agricultural and Mechanical
College OF Mississippi. This MAJ be
stated without DESIGNATING, IL any @l&e,
the many places, institutions and t.;12sS
OF note along the lines Of railways v Inch
connect Charleston with the peculiarly
favored land in which the Institution
named is situated.
THE COLLEGE.
To begin with, however, the Germ
Agricultural and Mechanical College,
as applied to this College, is 4 missioner.
The mechanical department has no: yet
been provided for, but may be rea.izeo
at any time when the Institution 5 SO
far favored by the Legislature Of Missls-
sippi. The College is, therefore, l'rac-
ticaly an agricultural institution with It's
handmaidens of the mechanical arts II
expectancy.
But whatever this institution may be it
has caused a great stir il social, agr:cul-
tural and political circles ever since its
establishment, seven years ago. Ii was
Graded in opposition, stroE out not
fatal; it has travelled over rough tcad
and still survives; and it has lived Gown
certain class Of opponents and is still
doing battle against some formidable
foes. AS between the enemies OF the
College and its friends the lines are 7ery
sharply drawn; and even the compara-
tive stranger, who runs, may read.
TIE ISSUES STATED.
Broadly stated, tie question is one Of
utility: Does it pay the taxpayer to %ap-
port the College; and, granting the oo.
jects of the College to be fully ca: lied
out, do the results warrant the Statt, il
continuing its appropriations? The uis-
tory of the College up to the present
time carries with it the solution OF every
one of these problems. Something Of
this history is, therefore, essential - q
clear conception of the interesting stu
alton.
IT'S ORIGIN.
From what can be learned from the
various published reports, the College
owes its origin to the Act OF the General
Government, passed in 1862, to encour-
age the establishment OF industrial col
ieges in the States. This Act, among
other things, provided for the ''encow-
ment, support and maintenance In cach
State OF at least one college where the
leading object shall be, without exclUd-
ing other scientific and classical studies,
and including military tactics, to teach
such branches of learning as are rel&ted
to agriculture and the mechanic arts, IL
such manner as the Legislatures OF the
States may respectively prescribe III or
der to promote the liberal and practical
education of the industrial classes" :"
Mississippi's share OF the agricultural
land scrip fund amounted in 1878 to
S227, $50, which is now in the State
treasury bearing five per cent? interest.
The Mississippi Legislature in 1878
divided this fund between Alcorn Uni
versity (for colored youths) and the
present Agricultural and Mechanical
College Of Mississippi, giving to each
S113,57 Subsequently the Legislature
expended Sl5, 600 of this money in the
purchase OF lands, leaving to each OF the
Institutions named balance of sos, ,575,
which yields an annual interest at five
per cent. OF about S44,92S. The State
Legislature up to within the past year
or two hes appropriated the sum OF
S32, 500 annually for the support OF the
institution.
THE BUILDINGS.
20 enable the State to avail itself OF
the Federal aid it was necessary to erect
the College buildings, and these were
completed for occupation by the stu
dents and professors in 1880. These
buildings are about a mile and half
west of Starkyille, and occupy positions
on both sides Of a branch Of the Mobile
and Ohio Railroad. The principal build
ings face the south and are Just nortA es
the railroad and on the crest of a hill, to
which the ascent from the railroad is
over well-kept lawn. These buildings
are:
First, the academy, three stories in
height, Of brick, and l27 feet long by 20
feet wide. The upper story consists Of
six class-rcoms for the use of certain
professors IN teaching; the second story
consists of six rooms for the use of other
professors, and on the first floor are the
College hall or chapel and the offices OF
the president, Gen. Stephen D. Lee, and
the secretary, Prot. I. f. Watson.
Second, the 6ormitory, three stories
IN height, with basement. It has front
of 275 feet, running east and west, and
two wings, each 140 feet in depth, ex,
tending at right angles to the main
building. The first floor contains the
library, museum, lecture room, the
cammardant's quarters and writing
room. On the second floor are two large
rooms, an armory and guard room.
The remaining rooms on this floor are
chambers for the students. On the third
story are about fifty roorss, used exciu
sively by the students. The accorlmo.
dations OF the dormitory are for fron
200 to 200 students.
Third, the laboratory, IS feet lorg BY
SO wide, a two story building, the upper
story of which contains large lecture
room, an analytical room for the stu
dents, private wcrk-room Tor tie pro
fessor of chemistry, and apparatus roon.S
The lower story IS used principally q:
storeroor-s aD1 analytical rooms, uset
by Prof. A. N. Meyers, who is also the
State chemist Of Mississippi.
LIZ